A number of wagering games feature awards which increase in value over time. Such awards are known as progressive awards. Typically progressive awards begin at a specific value known as a seed value or reset value and then increase over time based upon the number of eligible placed wagers. Usually, progressive awards increase by utilizing a specified fraction of each eligible placed wager. The phrase “eligible wager” refers to a pre-established wager amount, typically the maximum possible wager, required for a progressive award to be won. Furthermore, some gaming jurisdictions mandate that only wagers which can result in a progressive award can be used to fund progressive award increases.
A common progressive award works as follows: When the game is first offered, or after the prior progressive award is won, the progressive award value is set to a specific value. Thereafter, a set percentage of each eligible wager is added to the progressive award value until a game outcome occurs resulting in a player winning the progressive award.
A progressive award can involve wagers and play from a single machine or a number of machines. In the latter case, known as linked progressives, machines are configured in a bank of adjacent machines, or a plurality of machines across multiple banks within a casino, or across a plurality of casinos within a regional geographic area or across a plurality casinos across a plurality of regional geographic areas. In many games with progressive awards, especially with linked progressive awards, increases in the progressive award are cached such that the award value may be displayed as continuously and smoothly increasing rather than jumping up in rapid, varied amounts. The progressive award is often displayed in a manner reminiscent of a car odometer to better give the impression of continual and smooth jackpot growth.
One notable exception to the common practice of increasing a progressive award for each eligible wager is evident in Silicon Gaming's video poker game, “Phantom Belle Playoff”, that offers a discrete progressive award increase of a certain size after a certain number of eligible wagers have been placed. In this case, the progressive award increases after a specific number of maximum wagers has been placed.
Most games with progressive awards are configured to pay the progressive award based upon a primary game outcome. For example, in a slot machine game, a progressive award is won in response to a certain set of symbols, typically the top-most symbol(s), aligned along a certain pay line when a maximum wager has been placed. However there are some slot games that pay a progressive award as the outcome of a bonus event. Another example relates to a card game wherein a certain hand outcome occurs, such as a royal flush outcome.
Many casino games offer bonus events or bonus rounds beyond the primary game. Such a bonus can be triggered in response to an outcome of the primary game. For example, in a slot machine game the outcome may be based on certain symbols appearing in a certain configuration. Other games can be offered whereby the bonus is triggered based on a secondary event. For example, in the video poker game, Phantom Belle Playoff, the appearance of a special card from the deck has no effect on the primary game but causes a bonus round to be launched.
In a bonus event, the player typically is awarded a prize based upon a secondary outcome selection different from the primary game outcome. In slot games, like “Wheel of Gold” or “Wheel of Fortune”, for example, the bonus round is triggered when a bonus symbol appears in a pre-established manner (either on the pay line on the last reel or on all positions on the pay line, based upon the game definition) and the player has placed a maximum wager. During the bonus round, the player initiates the spinning of the bonus wheel. Eventually the wheel slows to a stop. The wheel is separated into segments, each depicting an award. The player wins the award depicted on the wheel segment identified by a single pointer at an edge of the wheel after the wheel stops.
A bonus event typically involves the following features:                results in the player receiving an award;        the actual award amount is often unknown to the player until bonus event is played;        uses prize reveal and/or selection mechanisms beyond the main game outcome;        player input is required to initiate the start of the bonus game;        in some cases, a bonus event may require increased player interactivity such as the player identifying selection spots to reveal hidden symbols; and/or        in some cases, a bonus event may involve actual player decisions such as whether to accept the current bonus award or forgo the same in lieu of the opportunity to seek a larger bonus award.        